Tye Menser
Democratic · WA · Thurston County Commissioner, District 3
Tye Menser is the District 3 Thurston County Commissioner and chairs the Board of County Commissioners through 2026. He is serving his second term, previously practiced law for 21 years, and served on the Thurston County Water Conservancy Board from 2010 to 2013.
Where Tye Menser stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (2 records), Government Efficiency (1 record), Government Spending Reduction (2 records),
Mixed record
Public Safety and Crime Control (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 support
Voted for an ordinance requiring home sellers to get a Home Energy Score before listing a house. The board passed it 4-0 with one abstention; the assessment costs sellers $150 to $350 and low income owners are exempt.
March 17, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Voted to adopt the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan, a joint county and city plan to cut local greenhouse gases 85 percent by 2050. After public comment he switched and supported calling the problem a climate emergency instead of a crisis.
February 9, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 1 support
Opposed an agreement to hand spending recommendations for the county's opioid settlement money to a regional council. The motion to approve it failed, and he then moved to bring the deal back after more staff briefings.
September 10, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support
Voted to adopt Thurston County's 2026-27 budget in a contested 3-2 vote. Two colleagues voted no, saying the budget papers were unclear and the process lacked transparency.
December 16, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: yelmonline.com · researched August 2, 2026
Voted 3-2 to set department spending targets for the 2026-27 budget against a projected $36 million shortfall. The targets cut most departments 10 to 19 percent and the sheriff's office about 4 percent.
October 7, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support · 1 oppose
Chaired the board when it put a one-year hold on permits for new involuntary detention and correctional facilities. He said the pause gave the county time to review its land use rules on federal detention sites.
June 16, 2026Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Backed the county's $14.25 million purchase of a Tumwater building to house the sheriff's office. As board chair he called the purchase a crucial investment in public safety.
February 4, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 2 support
Voted against two requests to rezone Grand Mound land from residential to arterial commercial. His two colleagues outvoted him on both, and all three approved a separate rezone of tribal trust land.
October 10, 2023Supports Housing Affordability
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Voted for an ordinance creating a countywide Home Fund for affordable housing. It extends a 0.1 percent sales tax countywide to pay for housing for low income residents, veterans, seniors and people leaving homelessness.
January 25, 2022Supports Housing Affordability
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Voted with a unanimous board to close a $34.9 million purchase of the Plum Street property in Olympia. The six buildings replace leased offices and were presented as a cheaper alternative to a new courthouse.
September 30, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
Track record — General
General · 4 records
The Thurston County Democratic Women named him on its 2026 endorsement slate for county commissioner. The group pointed to his background in law and public defense.
August 1, 2026
Source: thurstondemwomen.org · researched August 2, 2026
Took the chair's seat on the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners at its first meeting of 2024. Commissioner Wayne Fournier became vice chair.
January 2, 2024
Source: thejoltnews.com · researched August 2, 2026
A visiting judge threw out a second attempt to recall him from office. The judge found the five charges brought by a local activist lacked factual and legal support.
February 25, 2022
Source: chronline.com · researched August 2, 2026
State campaign finance regulators closed a complaint about his 2018 reports with no penalty. They found he made a minor reporting error over a filing fee and fixed it by amending the reports.
August 22, 2018
Source: pdc.wa.gov · researched August 2, 2026
Past race Tye Menser ran in:
- Commissioner, District No. 3 · August 4, 2026 · Thurston County, Washington · incumbent
Profile last researched July 25, 2026.